Film-feeding mechanism.



P. J. MUKAUTZ.

FILM FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 17, 1913.

1,165,036. Patented July 28, 19m

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P. J MUKAUTZ.

FILM FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1913.

Patented July 28, 1914 was 2 SHBETSSHEET Z.

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J eZer J/Vukaulz hws m' Q' QXL PETER J. MUKAUTZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FILM-FEEDING- MECHANISM.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 28, 1914.

Application filed May 17, 1918. Serial No. 763,223.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, PETER J. MUKAUTz,..

a citizen of the United States, -'residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Film-Feeding Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements, in film feeding mechanlsm such as used in connection with moving picture and pro jecting apparatus.

The principal object of the invention is to provide means for feeding a film without perforations along its longitudinal edges. The perforations weaken the film whereby it is easily torn by the toothed wheels engaging the same, and in order to avoid the necessity of perforating the film, the present feeding mechanism has been designed. The invention consists in utilizing a series of endless bands or belts, which are arranged to frictionally engage the longitudinal edges of the film and thusfeed it through the moving picture apparatus.

The different parts of the fe'edingmechanism have been designed to permit ready insertion or removal ofthe film and means are provided for the'tightening of the main feeding belts. i

With the above and other objects in view, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in connection with the accoinpanying drawings, and the novel features' thereof will be distinctly pointed out in the appended claims.

Inthe drawings like characters of reference designate similar parts. Figure 1 is asectional elevation of a moving picture machine constructed in accord-.

ance with my invention, the same being taken on line 1-'1 of Fig; 2, Fig- 2 is a rear view of Fig. 1, the upper portion being shown in section taken on line'22, Fig. 3 is a. partial side elevation showing the frame hingedto the side. wall of the casing, Fig. 4 showsa cross section view of a portion of the plate supporting the main feeding belts, and Fig. 5 illustrates the belt pulleys. v

.The casing of the machine consists of the side walls 1 and 2, which are connected to- 'gether by a front wall 3. A vertical plate 4,

near therear or open side of the casing, is supported from the side walls 1 and 2, and to said plate. and the front wall 3 is fixed the lens barrel 5. A suitable lens 6 is slidably mounted in. the forward end of the lens barrel.- Arranged in spaced relation to the vertical plate 4 is another larger vertical plate 7, which is also supported from the slde walls 1 and 2. Theplates 4 and 7 are provided with suitable central registering openings 8 and 9 respectively.

Fixed to the plate 7 at each side of its opening 9 are a pair of longitudinal rails or strips 10 and 11, which are adapted to slid-, ably support .a pair of endless belts 12 and 13 for 'frictionally engaging the longitudinal edgesof the film indicated by 14 tofeed the same through the machine. Guide pieces 15 are provided at the outersidesz'of the rails 10 and 11 opposite the opening 9 for keeping said belts and the film in central alining position while passing said opening. Thebelts 12 and 13 pass over a pair of pulleys16 and-17 fixed to af'shaft 18, which is rotatably mounted in the 'side walls 1 and 2 of the casing at the, lower end of the plate 7. The pulleys 16 and l'? being so arranged that theirfaces 19 are in alinement with the surfaces of the rails 10 and 11. The beltsthen pass around a pair of similar pulleys 20 and 21, which are arranged a littlebelow and forward of the pulleys 16 and 17,- andfixed to a shaft 22 also journaled in the side walls ofthe casing. On the return,-the beltsenga e the forward faces of the pulleys 16 and 1 then pass over a pairof idler. pulleys 23 and 24,

and between the spaced plates 4 and 7,

then over similar idler pulleys 25 and 26, around pulleys 27 and 28, and overpulleys 29 and 30, all similarly arranged at the upper end of the plate 7 as the pulleys at the lower end of the same. In order that the endless belts 12 and,13 may be readily tightened when necessary, the shafts 31 and 32 of each pair of idler pulleysare mounted in vertical slots 33 in the side walls of the casing, and to the projecting ends of said shafts are fitted devices 34 which are adjustably fixed to lugs 35 projecting from said side walls, by means of nuts 36 and 37. By unscrewing the nuts 37 and tightening up the nuts 36, the shafts 31 and 32 will be forced apart, thereby causing said idler pulleys to press in a vertical direction against the bolts 12 and 13. v

The belts 12 and 13 are driven by a step by step movement as follows: To the shafts 18 and 22 are fixed similar pinions 38 and 39, which are both engaged and adapted to be driven by a gear 40 carried by a shaft 41 'journaled in the side walls of the casing. A

steady uniform movement of the belts. This is accomplished by driving a gear wheel 48 from said gear 40, which gear wheel in turn drives a gear 49 similar to the gear 40 and meshing with pinions 50 and 51 on the shafts 46 and 47, similar to the pinions 38 and 39.

The film 14, when traveling in the vertical plane, is held in suitable frictional engagement with the belts 12 and 13 by means of a pair of similar endless belts 52 and 53 engaging the -outer surface of the longitudinal edges of the film. The belts 52 and 53 pass around pairs'of end sheaves 54 and 55 fixed to axles 56 and 57 respectively, which are rotatably mounted in horizontal slots 58 and 59 in the sides 60 and 61 forming portions of the side walls of the casing. The axles 56 and 57 fare resiliently supported by suitable coiled springs 62, having one end fixed to the-side as at 63 and the other end bent around the axle as at 64. These springs tend to gently press the sheaves forwardly so that the belts 52 and 53 slightly engage the film. Similar sheaves indicated by 65 are arranged at each end of the opening 9' to keep the intermediate portions of the belts 52 and 53 in engagement with the film; A vertical plate 66-connects the sides 60 and 61, and is provided with an opening 67 in alinement with the'openings 9 and 4. The usual lamp hood 68 is'carried by the'plate 66. The sides 60 and 61 are also'rigidly connected together by means'of transverse bars 69, and said frameis hinged to the side wall 2 of the casing, as shown at'=70, for the purpose of swinging the same open, when it is desired to insert or remove a film. Any suitable fastening'means as for instance that shown at71 may be used for holding theframe in closed position. The 111m 14 is held against the inclined portions of the belts 12 and 13 by means of endless bands 72 and 73, which pass around airs of rollers 74 and 75 supper-ted in a racket 76 fixed to a rod 77 pivoted in the side. walls of the casing. Springs 78 tend to keep the bands 72 and 73 in engagement with the film.

In 0 ration,-driving power applied to the belt weel 45 rotates the pin wheel 43 in the direction of the arrow, thereby imparting step by step motion to the gear 40 which drives the pinions 38-39, and through the gear wheel 48 and gear 49, the pinions 50 and 53h This causesthe belts l2 and 13 to travel smoothly, and the longitudinal edges ofthe film being lightly held thereagainst by the belts 52-53 and also by the bands 72-73, the film is moved through the ma-- chine by a step by step movement.

Although the mechanism set forth and described will accomplish the desired objects, it is to be understood that slight changes in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts may be made within the scope of the claims.

Having fully what I claim is:

1. In a film feeding mechanism, the combination of a pair of belts, means for im parting uniform step by step longitudinal movement to the belts, a film arranged against said belts, and means for causin the film to frictionally'engage said belts w ereby the film will be moved by the belts, substantially as described.

2. In a film feedingmechanism, the comdescribed my invention,

bination of a pair of endless belts, means "'slidably supporting the portions of said belts in contact wlth the film, and means for causing the film to frictionally engage said belts whereby the film will be moved by the belts. substantially as described.

' 3. In a film feeding mechanism, the combination of a plate, pairs of pulleys arrangedat opposite ends of the plate, a pair of belts carried by said pairs of pulleys and adapted to slidably rest against said plate, means for rotating said pairs of pulleys, a film arranged against said belts, and means for causing the film to frictionally engage said belts whereby the film will be moved by the belts, substantially as described.

' 4. In a film feeding mechanism. the combination of a plate, pairs of pulleys arranged at opposite ends of the plate, a pair of endless belts carried by said pairs of pulleys and encircling said plate, one side of each of said belts resting against one side of said plate, pairs of idler pulleys at the other side of the plate engaging said belts,

means for moving said idler pulleys in the longitudinal direction of the belts, means for rotating said pairs of pulleys, alfilm arranged against said belts, and means for causing the film to frictio'nally engage said belts whereby the film will be'moved by the belts, substantially as described.

5. In a film feeding mechanism, the combination of a plate, pairs of pulleys arranged at opposite ends of the plate, a pair of belts carried by said pairs of pulleys and adapted to slidably rest against said plate, means for driving said pairs of pulleys in unison in astep by step manner. a film arranged against said belts, a plurality 'of pairsof sheaves, and a pair of belts passing around the sheaves for engaging the film to keep it in frictional contact with the firstpair of belts, substantially .as

bination of a plate, pairs of pulleys arranged at opposite ends ofthe plate, a pair of belts carried by said pairs of pulleys and. adapted to slidably rest against said plate, means for driving said pairs'of pulleys in unison in a step by step manner, a film arranged against said belts, a plurality of'pairs of sheaves carried on, axles, a frame provided with slots for receiving the axles, pairs of belts passing I around said sheaves, and springs tending to press the belts on the sheaves against the film to keep it in frictional contact with the first mentioned belts, substantially as described.

7. In a film feeding mechanism, the combination of a plate, a pair of longitudinal rails on the plate, pairs of pulleys arranged beyond the opposite ends of the plate and having their faces in alinement with' said rails, a pair of endless belts resting against said rails and passing around said pulleys,

means for rotatin said pairs .of pulleys, a

' film arranged against said belts, and means for causing the film to frictionally engage said belts whereby the film will be moved by the belts, substantially as described:

8. In a film feeding mechanism, the -combination of a casing, a plate fixed in the casing, pairs of pulleys arranged at opposite 1 ends of the plate, a pairof belts carried by said pairs of pulleys and adapted to slidably -rest against said plate, a frame hinged to said casing, a plurality of pairs of sheaves carried on axles, the framebeing provided with slots for receiving the axles, pairs of belts passing around said sheaves, springs tending to press the sheaves'toward said plate for keeping the belts carried *thereby against the film to hold it in frictional contact with the first mentioned belts, and means for locking said frame in closed position, substantially as described.

9. In a film feeding mechanism, the combination of a plate, pairs of pulleys arranged at opposite ends of theplate, a pair of belts carried by said pairs of pulleys and adapted to slidably rest against said plate, means for driving said pairs of pulleys in unison in a step by step manner, a film arranged against said belts, a plurality of pairs of sheaves, a pair of belts passing around the sheaves for engaging the film to keep it in frictional contact with the first mentioned pair of belts, and guides on said plate for keeping both pairs of said belts and said film in alinement, substantially as described;

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' PETER J. MUKAUTZ.

IVitnesses:-

W. H. KEL'SEY, N, P. WHELAN. 

